


Shedding Familial Ties

by GhostTEETH



Category: HLVRAI - Fandom, Half-Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Autistic Tommy Coolatta, Background Bubby/Dr. Coomer - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misgendering, Trans Gordon Freeman, Transphobia, deadnaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26008450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostTEETH/pseuds/GhostTEETH
Summary: Gordon has to make a phone call to cancel plans, but doesn't get the chance to, and has to endure his parents.But he'd rather them go after him than his friends.***I'm unable to add some tags and fandom on mobile, but there is deadnaming and misgendering here.This is also me trying to cope with some bad shit because I am going through it so yeehaw
Relationships: Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Bubby/Dr. Coomer (Half-Life)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 391





	Shedding Familial Ties

**Author's Note:**

> deadnaming and misgendering ahead!!!! (Chose a deadname thats close to mine cause im. Coping(tm) but not really)
> 
> This also probably lowkey sucks but oh well im not mentally able to rewrite it well

He ignored them as best he could, despite the fact that Gordon knew full well it was  _ impossible  _ to ignore the Science Team and Benrey.

But Gordon had a very shitty phone call to make, to some very… shitty people, and he wanted all his focus to be on that. (He couldn't stop feeling guilty for calling them shitty, no matter what.) Especially since said phone call involved canceling plans.

"Mr. Freeman, are- are you alright?" Tommy's voice broke through Gordon's brain fog, and he flinched.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm good, Tommy. Just have to make a quick phone call, trying to figure out how to do it."

Bubby snorted and rolled his eyes. "You dial the number and hit send, idiot."

Gordon nodded, pressing his lips together. Before he could respond, Dr. Coomer jumped in. "Who do you have to call, Gordon? Job interview?"

Gordon laughed humorlessly. "I wish. It's… my parents."

Tommy titled his head as he cracked open another can of soda. "O-oh, is- is everything. Is everything ok?"

"Wh- yeah, everything's cool! Just, you know, have to let them know of… a change in plans." Gordon watched as Benrey crushed a (thankfully empty) can of soda against his head, a BBBBBB echoing the room.

_ Why the fuck- _

"A change of plans, Gordon? What plans must be changed? Time with family is very important!" Coomer said, grinning wide.

_ I don't want to be near them, why would I want to be near them, I just want to cancel this, I don't want them here. _

Another BBBBBB shook Gordon from his thoughts. "Dude, what the fuck are you doing?!" Gordon snapped.

Benrey flopped back, throwing a crushed can at Gordon. "feetman, uh, little startled feetman? can't handle good ol' benrey pal makin some, epic noise, little cringeman, uh." Gordon tuned Benrey out, turning back to Coomer.

"They wanted to come over, but, you know, since you guys are here I'd-"

"yooo cringeman got his parents visiting, benrey meet his best bro's family peeps, please? thank you?" Benrey was grinning wide, sitting up straight, almost bouncing in place.

_ Oh, fuck. No. No no no no no. Absolutely not, not this. No. _

"Afraid your parents will see how much of a failure you are?" Bubby snarked, crossing his arms.

Gordon flinched again, looking away almost immediately, heart thudding in his throat. He picked at his cuticles, softly clearing his throat twice before nodding. His face- no, his whole  _ body _ burned in shame.

Tears threatened to fall, he firmly reminded himself that it was just Bubby being Bubby, but he wanted to kick him and scream at him to fuck off all the same.

"Mr. Freeman?" Tommy said, standing up.

The phone ringing cut through the tension, and Gordon answered without a second thought.

"Hello?"

"We're outside."

Click.

_ Oh, FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK- _

The door shook as a person on the other side knocked with much more force than would ever be necessary, and Gordon found himself dropping his phone to the ground and crossing the room to the front door.

"You survived Black Mesa. You can survive this." Gordon said.

He opened the door, and his mother and father nearly pushed him to the ground as they entered his home. His mother crossed her arms the second she saw his beard (fuck), and glanced at the scene in the living room (oh fuck). She looked him up and down, and his father frowned. (Oh, FUCK.)

"Emma."

Gordon swiftly decided he could  _ not  _ survive this and doing Black Mesa all over again was much preferable.

A noise of confusion (?) from someone (Benrey? Coomer?) was ignored as Gordon fought to find his voice.

"Mom."

"What the hell is on your face? And your voice sounds… disgusting. Are you sick? And who are," she motioned to the chaos crew, "THESE people? I thought I raised my daughter better than this, don't you know how to introduce your parents to others?"

Each word felt like a stab. Getting his hand cut off was easy-peasy.

"These are my friends." Gordon said dumbly. She made a face.

"Where'd you meet them, Em?" Gordon's father piped up.

"Uh, met- we met. Work."

"Work?"

"Work."

Xen would be wonderful right now.

Tommy spoke up. "Uh, hi, are- you. Must be Mr. Freeman's parents!"

_ Oh, Tommy, my friend. Please shut the fuck up. _

Gordon's mother's eyes widened, and her brow furrowed. "Mister? MISTER? Excuse me!" Gordon watched in horror as she marched to Tommy. "Did you just call her a MISTER?" She jabbed a finger into Tommy's chest.

Something clicked.

Gordon was in between them before could think.

"Don't talk to him like that." Gordon snapped, gritting his teeth.

"I will talk to him however I-"

"No. You will not."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father step towards him, a hand raising. He knew what was coming, but kept himself firmly between his parents and his friends.

_ His family. _

"You will talk to him with respect, or you will leave."

"Now, Emma-"

_ "My name is not Emma." _

The world seemed to go silent.

"Get out." Gordon said, his voice wavering.

"I'm just doing what's best for you-"

"GET OUT."

His mother stared at him, opening her mouth, but Gordon didn't give her the chance to speak.

"My name is NOT Emma. I am NOT your daughter. Now GET OUT."

Gordon stepped towards her, ready to pick her and his father up and throw them onto the street (into traffic, should traffic be available) if needed.

She spat at him as she turned on her heel, her husband shaking his head at Gordon, and the door slamming behind them.

The adrenaline left Gordon instantly, and his chest ached.

"Hey-" Bubby placed his hand on Gordon's shoulder, but Gordon pulled away, walking quietly to his bedroom and closing the door.

And with his head buried between his knees, his hands pulling at his hair, Gordon sobbed.

A weight leaned against him as a calming Sweet Voice bounced against him. The weight pulled back suddenly with a quiet "uh".

"you… you good with bein touched, bro." Benrey whispered.

Gordon didn't respond.

"is it cool if i sing."

No response.

At this point, Gordon knew they were all in his room, staring at him cry on the floor. A foot nudged his, and he pulled further into himself.

"They're idiots. You're quite brilliant. Usually." came Bubby's voice.

"I can see why you didn't want to see them. Hopefully, they won't come back." Coomer's voice lacked its usual enthusiasm, and the pit in Gordon's chest grew. Negative thoughts ran through his head about how he ruined it, he ruined the day, he ruined everything, and now-

A sniffle cut through the haze. "I'm. Sorry, Mr. Freeman. I didn't- think, they'd be horrible." Tommy was  _ definitely  _ trying not to cry. "Thank you, I. Didn't like her."

Gordon saw a glimpse of an orb.

_ Dark blue means I hate you _ .

"they won't come back if they know what's good for them." Benrey snarled, more dark blue floating by.

Gordon hummed, and the orbs were gone.

Silence filled the room again.

"can i hug you."

Benrey's voice was soft, hesitant.

Gordon nodded, and immediately Benrey's arms were around him. 

And then he was engulfed in the middle of a group hug, Benrey almost nuzzling his hair.

"want a kiss?"

Gordon could hear the smirk, and a chuckle left his throat.

"If it's not too much trouble…" he mumbled.

"ha! gay." Benrey pulled back (and pushed the others away, almost) and cradled Gordon's face before planting a firm kiss between his eyebrows.

Bubby gagged. Tommy and Coomer clapped their hands.

A smile appeared on Gordon's face, and Benrey took his hand.

"Can we watch our shit movie now?" Bubby said. Gordon couldn't tell if he was actually annoyed or not.

"yeah but. youve got such an epic movie here, like. the best bros realize theyre in love, yeah? and they like-"

Gordon bumped against Benrey, promptly cutting him off. "Yeah, let's watch a shit movie."

It was definitely a shit movie. Bubby and Coomer were laughing at it the whole time. Tommy ate snacks and sodas, ones that Gordon wasn't sure he'd had prior, and Benrey didn't pay attention to how bad it was beyond a few comments. He was too busy laying against Gordon, holding him close with a firm resolution that no one-  _ no one- _ would ever hurt his Gordon ever again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hlvrai is so important to me, it makes me feel happy
> 
> Love you all, stay safe


End file.
